Another anti-gun bill mandating (this time) the registration of every firearm in the state of Illinois (plus permission slips to purchase ammunition) was introduced last month by self-proclaimed LGBT activist and progressive Democrat Kelly Cassidy. Representing state district 14, Cassidy’s bill is called simply: “Firearms Registration Act.” Cassidy’s goal is simple: She wants the Illinois State Police to know where every firearm in the state is, what its registration number is, who owns it, and where they live. From her bill:

Every person in the State must register each firearm he or she owns or possesses in according with the Act….

[The Act] provides that the Department of State Police must complete a background check of any person who applies for … a registration certificate for a firearm that was lawfully owned or possessed on the effective date of the Act….

[The Act] provides that it is a Class 2 felony to sell or transfer ownership of a firearm to another person without complying with the registration requirements of [the Act].

She also wants the police to know who’s buying and shooting ammunition:

[The Act] provides that a person shall not purchase or possess ammunition within this State without having first obtained a registration certificate identifying a firearm that is suitable for use with that ammunition.

Penalties for noncompliance are severe: A Class 2 felony in Illinois is three to seven years in jail, plus a fine not to exceed $200,000.

This bill, if enacted, would raise significantly the present barrier against owning firearms in Illinois. A resident must have a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card and, under the state’s new concealed carry law, he must be 21 or older, pass a 16-hour training course, pay a fee of $100, and even then he might not receive his CCW (concealed carry weapon) permit. The law-enforcement agency considering his application can reject it “based on a reasonable suspicion that the applicant is a danger to himself or herself or others, or a threat to public safety.” Any objections are then considered by a Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board, which can confirm or deny approval based upon a “preponderance of the evidence” presented by the agency.

At present, there is a 72-hour waiting period before a buyer can take possession of a handgun, while it’s only 24 hours if he wants to buy a rifle or a shotgun. If he wants to make a private purchase, the seller must not only view his FOID card but must verify its current status and accuracy with the local police. Further, the seller must keep a record of the sale for 10 years.